By Lynette Taylor Guest columnist I began working on my associate’s degree from Des Moines Area Community College in August of 2010. With one semester remaining, I had taken nearly all of my classes as online courses. When I was invited to apply for the new DMACC Honors Program, I accepted the challenge. I had been wanting a way to get more out of my college experience, and I knew that the Honors Program would offer me this and more, including the prestige of graduating with an Honors degree. Another perk that I was anticipating--the offered lectures and extra-curricular learning activities. In my semester on the Boone campus, I have had the opportunity to hear former President Jimmy Carter speak at Drake University and attend a lecture by Professor Orazem in the Iowa State University Sun Room. I have been able to listen to motivational advice given by Isa Adney and be inspired to make a difference in the world by the guys from The Buried Life in the Boone auditorium. I also worked on the set for the fall semester play, “Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles.” The campus afforded countless ways to stay involved. Since I was so close to graduating, I signed up for all ten of my required Honors credits to be completed in one semester. Each discipline class that you take as an Honors student requires five one-on-one meetings with your discipline professor and the completion of a semester-long project. That meant that this semester, I had three large projects to complete in addition to my regular coursework. I took U.S. History since 1877 with Professor Irwin for which I wrote a historical short story, as well as Field Ecology with Dr. Bergin and Sociology with Dr. Maggio for which I wrote case study articles. For my sociology project, I was able to attend an event hosted by the Midwest Innocence Project, where Damien Echols spoke, a member of the West Memphis Three released from death row. My field ecology project involved field observations of the behaviors of the crow populations in and around Boone and Ames. In the process of researching and writing these papers and attending the events, I learned many interesting new things and made intriguing personal connections. I will graduate with Honors in December as one of the first two Honors graduates from Des Moines Area Community College. I was accepted at Indiana University and will be seeking a BA. I have also applied for an internship in Washington D.C., which includes classes from George Mason University for the Summer 2013 semester. | By Mia Pierson Guest columnist Many people come to DMACC for many reasons: affordability, convenience, a small community atmosphere, continuing education after years in the work world, the list could go on and on. For me it was a combination of these reasons and one more: guaranteed success. I juggled a lot of activities and responsibilities during high school, and knew I was prepared for a busy and active lifestyle in college. When I heard the Honors Program was starting this semester I wondered if it’d be worth participating in; I was already busy enough, and my grades were fine as they were. But as I continued to discover more information about the program I realized it was a program right for me. I’ve worked hard to get the grades I’ve gotten, but I’m always seeking to be challenged as a student, as a friend, and as a person. Coming into this year I knew I would be starting a new program with only one semester left, but by juggling some responsibilities I knew I could gain a lot from Honors. I had a heavy load coming into this semester, not in the quantity of my classes, but rather the quality I was challenged to achieve. The DMACC Honors Program was an experience I know I will never regret participating in. It has challenged me to not only do well in my classes, but go above and beyond the required material. I’ve done two honors projects this semester, both of which correlated with my intended major of fashion apparel design. I wasn’t expecting that they’d tie together, but I’ve realized that my extra research in one class’ project has helped me understand the Honor’s project of another class. For my first project I’ve gotten the chance to work hands on at the Boone County Historical Center with century-old wedding gowns, to learn proper techniques for the handling of textiles in museums, the proper storage of textiles, as well as the effects of improper storage. For my second project I dove into the deep pool of Coco Chanel’s world; read about her life, watched movies on her legacy, and compared her to another famous French designer Christian Dior. In doing so I’ve learned a lot about early 20th century women’s dress and the huge transformation it took due to an orphaned milliner, and how those changes are visible in antique wedding dresses from Boone County. The Honors Program has given me a richer learning experience through projects that I tailor to my own interests. I wouldn’t trade my experience from this program for any fuss-free classes. The program is still new, so it could use a little tweaking on project deadlines and requirements, but I thought it did well for its first semester. I’d recommend not doing 10 credits in one semester if you can. Doing one honors project well is hard enough and it’s extra tough to do multiple, especially when you’re an athlete. However, I feel like a well rounded individual after going through this program from start to finish, and I encourage anyone to find out for themselves what this program can offer you. |
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